Elastic or cushioned wheel.



C. P. MOMULLEN.

ELASTIG OR UUSHONBDv WHEEL.

APPLICATION rum MAR. 22, 1913.

1,127390. f Patented Feb.9,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. P. MGMULLBN. Y ELVASTIO ou GUSHIONBD WHEEL.

APPLICATON FILED HAR. 22, 1913y Patented Feb. 9, *1915.

' 2 SHBETSA'SHEET 2.

w w, u v l IIA' Charms P. c'lullen, 5WD to i Y cHAnnEsr.' MCMULLEN, o FLYNDHUnsT, NEW .mns-EY, nssrenonor oNn-FoU-nfirn: To

- erronea si: HELMKEN or" RICHMOND'man` NEW YORK.

nLAsrIc on cUsHIoNED WHEEL.

y -lb ad whom 'it may concern.'

' ments in Elastic or Cushioned Wheels, of

Be it known thatv I, CHARLES P.' Mc- MULLEN, agcitizen `of the United States, and residing at Lyndhurst, in the' county of Bergen and State of NewV Jersey, have invented certain new' and useful; Improvewhich the following is a specification, such -aswill enable those skilled in the art to .specified are desired. The invention is 25`lowingfspecitication of which the accomfully disclosed in the folpanying drawings'form a partin which the separatel parts of my invention are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which 30 'I Figure 1 is asection of my improved wheel taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, with one of the spokes also 'in section;-Fig. 2 a section on the lines 2-2 'of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 ;-l"ig. 3- a section on the line 3 3 of Fig.

eL;-Fig. 4 a side view of the wheel and on a reduced scale, and ,'-Fig 5 a sectional detail view showing a modified form of spoke.

ln the practice of my invention, as shown in the drawing, I provide ahub a having circular side plates a? which are secured to the hub, in the construction shown, by bolts a, and'I also provide a rim b provided with annular inwardly Adirected side platesv b2 which are 4between the plates a2 of the hub and are movable radially in the annular box-shaped casing formed by said plates a2.

' The rim b is also composed of two parts secured together' by bolts bs which also serve, in the construction shown, for securing the annulaiclamp plates c to the rim of the wheel, and by which a tire c2 of any kind or class'may be secured to said rim.

My improved wheel also involves cushioned or radial elastic spokes d, the preferred form of which is shown in Figs. 1

Specification of Letters Patent.

Athe parts d3 of the spokes.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

. 'Appneamn'mea March- 22,191s. seriaim. 756,102.

and 2 indetail.. AThese spokes, as shown in said figures, consist of central sleeves d2 and end'men1'-bers` d3 also made in the form of tubes'or sleeves and movable radially inthe central sleeves d2, and the' sleeves d2 are divided -by, or provided centrally with transverseportions d4, and placed in the end members (Z3 of the spokes are spiral springs d which vbear on the central parts d4 of the sleeves d2 and on the closed end portions of The inner end members d3 of the spokes are provided with heads d which fit in corresponding sockets in the hub a, and the outer end members di of the spokes are pro- -vided 'with heads all which fit in corresponding socketsin the rim b of the wheel.l

It will be observed that the spokes d are arj ranged in two separate series occupying differentiparallel planes passing transversely through the hub and rim, or the separate parts thereof, and the .spokes of one series are connected in direct radial lines with the hub and rirn while the spokes of the other series are lconnected tangentially with the hub and at anangle to a radial line with the rim, and lthe object of this method of connecting the spokes with the hub an(J rim is to permit of the freey cushioned action of the rir'n and at the same time, prevent said rim from turning in'either direction and to any extent independently of the hub. It will also be observed that' the spokes of the separate series hereinbefore referred to are arranged'in pairs, in the construction shown, one of the radially arranged spokes and one of the spokes that are connected with the hub tangentially thereof being connected y with the hub at the same point, and the hub or the separate parts thereof are provided with transverse recesses e divided by insei-ted blocks 62, and the inner headsolG of the spokes lit in the end portions -of these recesses and are held in place by transverse pins c3 passed centrally through said heads -andthrough said recesses, one of said pins serving to lhold the inner heads of one spoke ot each series in position, and the said heads of the spokes and. the said recesses, in the construction shown in Figs. 1 aid 2, form whatis known as a ball and socket joint.

The outer end portions of the. separate series of spokes are connected with the rim or the separate parts thereof alternately, andthe recesses in which the heads Z7 of the 'rio outer end portions of the spokes fit are formed as shown in Fi g. 2, and open through the inner faces of the separate parts of the rim and are closed by plugs and this connection, or these connections, are also what are known as ball and socket joints, the outer end portions of the spokes being secured in position by pins passed through the heads Z7 thereof.' l

ln practice, or in the use of my improved Wheel, the annular chamber g formed by the hub, the rim and the plates a2 and Z1, will be lled or partially filled with oil or a suitable liquid lubricant, and the spokes and all the parts thereof including their` connections, with the hub and with the rim of the wheel, will be thoroughly lubricated at all times and,'in practice, I preferably provide the central parts d* of the sleeves Z2 of the spokes with transverse passages It, two of which are preferably employed and each of which is provided with a radial passage h2 communii eating with the opposite end portions oi the spokes or the chambers therein in which the springs Z5 are placed. The passages L are provided at one end, in the form of construction shown, with outlet spigots having discharge valves lit, and at the other end with inlet spi gots h5 having suction valves IL, and the inlet spi gots r" are provided with an inlet pipe it? and by means of this construction, in the use or operation of the wheel, the radial movement of the rim with reference to the hub will cause a pump like action in the opposite end portions of the spokes and the lubricating material will be constantly brought into and forced out of said end portions oit' the spokes, and this material forms in the spoke members a hydraulic cushion which aids thc spring cushions in said spoke members. My invention, however, is not limited to the imrticular means for permit- 'ting the passage of lubricating material into and from the opposite ends of the spokes, in

' the construction shown .in Ii`igs.`l and 2, and

any suitable construction may be provided vi'or this purpose. l also preferably provide.

the portions of the spokes with annular grooves i in which the lubricating material collects and forms a seal, but this construction also is not essential and may or may not be employed.

llhe plates b2 are connected with and in effect 'form a part of the rim of the wheel and are provided at regular intervals with 'radially arranged,` inwurdly directed web membersl j which abut at j, as shown in liig. Si, and which serve as inner braces for said plates b2, and the plates a? are provhled with radial ribs which brace and strengthen said plates. The plates a2 are also provided in their inner faces and near their outer edges with annular grooves ,7u in which are placed packing rings l? which bear on thev plates b2. and annular metal gaskets /c3 which l bear on said packing rings, and said plates are provided outwardly of the grooves 7c.

with thickened annular beads L14 whichA strengthen said plates and through which are passed set screws f which bear on the gaskets /123 and force the packing rings 7a2 into contact with the plates b2, and the object of thisconstruction is to prevent the lubricating material from passing out between the plates a2 and b2. y

ln Fig.` 5, I have shown 4a modified form ot' spoke and a slightlymodified :form ot' the hub and rim of the wheel, a part of the hub being shown at a and a part of the rim at Z1. In this form ot' construction, the spoke d is composed et two parts only, said part-s thefside faces of the angular recesses respec tively on the hub and rim and torni locking means for the spokes when the wheel is turned toward the right or reversed, and this construction may be such that the pins m* will simply serve to hold the spoke in position while the weight of the vehicle or the load will be thrown directly on the heads m2 of the spokes or the separate parts thereof.

The telescopic members m may also be provided with ,ports or passages mi to per-'- mit the inflow and outflow of oil or other lubricating material, and in the operation of a wheel inadein. this manner, the parts of the spokes would operate as a pump to draw the lubricating material into, and force it out of said parts. y

With my improvement, the vehicle and load will be cushioned and resiliently su p ported at all times, the rim of the wheel or wheels heilig freely-movable radially toward and :from the hub or hubs thereof', und the load being borneby the springs placed in the spo-kes. i

My invention is not liniitedto the use of,-

the springs in the spokes, and said spokes may be cushioned in other ways, as, for i' instance, by providing means for the admission thereinto and discharge therefrom in the radial movement oiE the separate parts thereofl ot air and lubricating material, .in which event any suitable inlets and outlets into 'and from the spokes or the separate parts thereof for the air or other materia ma y be employed.

In the construction-shown, only Jfour spokes of each series are employed, but it will be undeistcod that any desired number of spokes may be used.

Any suitable means may be provided for filling or p/aitially filling the chamber g with lubricating material and for cleaning said chamber yand discharging the contents thereof, and `for this purpose an aperturel o` may be formed in4 one of the plates a2 and may be provided with a suitablejplug or closure device and through which ghe lubricating material may be passedv nto said chamber, and a similar aperture 02" may be formed in one of the plates b2 through which the contents of vsaid chamber may be4 conveniently discharged, and the aperture o2 may be provided with any desired form of plug or closure device.

-one series of the spokes b'tangentially to the hub, is to prevent therotaryvmovement of' the rim with relation to the yhub independent of the hub, and it must be borne in mind that my invention is not limited to this exact construction for the accomplishment of this result, and the spokes may be otherwise arranged and otherwise connected for the saine purpose, the'chief feature of my invention in this connection being the provision of telescopic and cushionedl spokes connected with the hub and rim of the wheel in such manner as to prevent the rotary movement of' the rim independent of the hub,l and at the same time, permit -of the radial movement of the rim with reference to the hub, or the radial movement of the hub with reference to the rim and to cushion 'said movement or movements, and various changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made within the scope of the appended claims,

without departing from the spirit ofmy invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention what I claim` as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is;-

l. A wheel comprising a hub, a rim and spokes, the spokes being'composed of telescopic and cushioned members,v and being pivotally connected with'the rim andwiththe hub, and said spokes being also arranged in pairs, and the spokes of each pair being connected with the hub at the same point and longitudinally thereof', and by means of the same pivot pin, one spoke of each pair 1 being tangential to ythe hub, and the lother radial thereto, and locking means to prevent displacement of said spokes when the Whee ,is rotated in one direction.

2. A'Wheel comprising a hub', a rim and spokes, the spokes being .composed of sepa-` iate telescopic and cushioned members and being arranged in separate series and in dierent parallel planes which cross the hub at 4right angles thereto, the spokes of one series being pivotally connected radialiy.:

with the hub andrivith the rim, and the Spokes of the other series being connected.,A

l placement of said spokes when the lwheel is rotated in one direction.

, 3. Avvheel composed lof a hub, a lrim and spokes, the hubl and rim being composed of tangentially with the hub'at an angle to .v

separate similar parts, and the spokes being y l arranged 1n separate series corresponding with the parts of the hub and rim, said spokes being pivotally connected with the hub and rimand being composed of tele' scopic and cushioned members, one series of said spokes being connected with the hub and rim in 'radial lines, and the other series in lines tangential to thehub, `said spokes be# ing also arranged in pairsl and the spokes of each pair being connected with the hub at the saine point and by means of the same pivot pin, and locking means to prevent displacement of said spokes when the wheel is rotated in one direction.

'4.A Wheel comprising a. hub, a rim and spokes, the hub and rim being provided with overlapping side plates which entirely inclose the spokes and form a closed annular chamber around the hub, one set ofy said plates being movable radially toward and from the hub and 'on the otherset, and one set of said plates being also provided with annular packings, said spokes being loosely connected with the hub and rim and being composed of telescopic and cushioned members consisting of three parts, a central part, a part connected with the hub, and apart connected with the rim,'the central part being provided with a transverse'member, and the parts connected with the hub, andrim being each provided with spring cushions, and means whereby oil contained in said chamber will be forced into and out of the telescopic parts of the spokes connected with Athe hub and rim, inthe operation of the .los

from the hub and on the other set, and one set of said 'plates being also provided with annular' packings, said spokes being'loosely connected with the hub and rim and being composed of telescopic and cushioned members consisting of three parts, a central part,

a part connected with the hub, and a partconnected with the rim, lthe central part being provided with a transverse member, and the parts connected with the hub and riin be,- ing each provided with. spring cushions, and means whereby oil contained in said chamber will be forced into and out of the telescopic parts of the spokes connected With the hub and rim, in the operation of the Wheel, consisting oi? passages 'formed in the central spoke members and communicating with the chambers in the hub andriin spoke members, and provided with suction land discharge valves. 1

G. A wheel comprising a hub, a rim and tubular telescopic spokes composed of separate parts, said. spokes being loosely connected both with the hub and rirn,l and being provided with spring cushions, said rim be ing movable radially toward and from the hub, and said hub and rim being provided Vwith overlapping side plates which form an annular chamber around the hub and which entirely inclose the spokes, said chamber? being adapted to contain lubricating'material., and said spel-:es being provided with ports or passages whereby in the operation of the Wheel, lubricating material from said cha-rnber will be forced into and out 'of said spokes, thus forming an additional hydraulic cushion therein.

7. A wheel comprising a.v hub, a rim and tubular telescopic spokes composed of sepa` rate'parts, said spokes being loosely connected both with the hub and rim, and said'hub and rim being provided IWith overlapping side plates which iprnran annularchamber around the hub, and which entirely inclose ,said spokes, said chamber being adapted to contain lubricating material, and said rim being movable toward and from the hub, said spokes being provided withV spring cushions and being also provided with ports Listare() or passages whereby lubricating materialinv said chamber Will be forced into and out of said spokes in the operation of the Wheel, thus forming tan additional hydraulic cushion therein, and said spokes being also composed o separate'- series, one series being connected With the hub and rim in radial lines, and the other series being connected with the hub tangentially thereof.

8. A Wheel comprising ahub, a rim and spokes, the hub and rim being provided With overlapping side plates Whichentirely inclose the spokes and form a closed annular chamber around the hub adapted to receive a lubricating material, Vthe rim beingradally movable toward and from the hub, land the plates on the rim being provided with annular packings, said spokes being loosely connecter.v with' the hub and rim and being composed of telescopic and cushioned members, and said spokes being Falso provided with means whereby lubricating material contained in said annular chamber lwill fioW freely thereinto and therefrom in the operation of the Wheel.

9. A Wheel comprising a hub, a rim and spokes, the spokes being composed of telescopic and cushioned members, and. being pivotallyc 'nnected with the rim and with the hub, angl saidspokes being also arranged in pairs, the spokes of each pair being connected withdthe hub at the same point longitudinally thereof', and by means of the same pivot pin, one .spoke of each pair being CHARLES r. MQMULLEN. "Witnesses: l

S. ANDREWS, C.' MULREANY. 

